Water Safety Reps Dropped

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31521, 8 November 1967, Page 22

Water Safety Reps Dropped

The council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association last evening terminated the appointments of the association’s representatives on the National Water Safety Committee (Mrs D. Fitzsimmons and Mr F. J. S. Adam).

Dissatisfaction with the committee was expressed in the annual report of the swimming association, and delegates to the annual meeting at Labour Day Week-end decided to leave the appointment in the hands of the council.

water safety. Mr Adam is the present chairman of the Water Safety Committee and is a former vice-president of the N.Z.A.S.A., while Mrs Fitzsimmons is a former secretary of the Wellington Swimming Centre and was chaperone with the 1962 Empire Games team in Perth. The chairman of the council (Mr A. J. Donaldson) said the representatives were not in step with the N.Z.A.S.A. thinking and the position had become “intolerable.” He described as “unfortun- - ate” a remark made by Mr Adam in a Wellington television programme. “Town and Around,” that the drowning rate would continue until swimming was made compulsory in schools. In a letter to the council. Mr Adam said he believed that he was fairly representing the views of all sections of swimming in his work on the committee. He said he was prepared to offer himself for reappointment, but if the council wanted a “yes man" it would have to look for someone else.

After discussing the position last evening, the council decided to leave the appointments vacant “until such time as new appointments are made by the council.” Mr Adam and Mrs Fitzsimmons , are well-known figures in swimming and have long records of service in